Is This Real
by Jyira Keller
Summary: Silly fic about a girl going to college and meeting all her favourite LJS characters, even bringing back everyone's favourite Shadow Man. *FINISHED*
1. Default Chapter

Spoilers: NW/VD/DV/FG (All LJS books)   
Disclaimers: All NW/VD/DV/FG plots and characters belong to LJS. The characters of Susan Black Lightning, Crystal Harman and Aurelia Wolf belong to me. NOT to be used without my express permission.   
Summary: Silly fic about a girl going to college and meeting all her favourite LJS characters, even bringing back everyone's favourite Shadow Man.   
  
Part 1  
  
Crystal left her house without looking back. She'd been waiting for this for so long, and it was finally here. She could leave. Start a new life in a new place. What was in store for her there, she had no idea.   
  
Crystal had never been very lucky in her life, she had never been very popular, the other kids thought she was weird. She loved to write, and had a strange fascination with the supernatural and horror movies. She spent half the time in her own little word, wishing she were someone else, not who she was. She would create personalities in her head, people who were everything she wasn't.   
  
One of her favourite things was writing fan fiction for the internet, where you make up the stories for you favourite TV shows or book series. She loved fan fiction for a series called Night World, by LJ Smith. A series about vampires and witches and werewolves, and ordinary people mixed up within it. How she wanted to be a part of that world!  
  
She would love to be Mary-Lynette Carter, who found herself thrown into a mystery when three mysterious girls moved next door. Or Maggie Neely, an ordinary girl sold into slavery and adventure, and falling in love with a prince. Or Rashel Jordan, fearless vampire hunter, a little Buffy, but with brains and a sensible name. But to be honest, she would rather be the vampire than the hunter.   
  
Or her own Night World creation, Susan Black-Lightning, the bad Wild Power she had created. Everyone she talked to on mailing lists on her internet was waiting for the final Night World book, Strange Fate, but she'd gotten so sick of waiting she'd written her own. Her character had been beautiful and deadly, dangerous and respected. And powerful. Half vamp, half witch...and with blue fire to destroy the world.  
  
She smiled dryly and shook her head. As if someone like that could really exist. She knew she'd be like that.  
  
She hoped the life she'd be starting at college would be better, that something interesting would happen to her.   
  
Strange, she thought, people who said that in books and movies were always proved horribly right.  
* * *  
  
Crystal pushed her way through the crowded hallways of students unpacking, greeting their roommates, checking each other out. She frowned up at the closed door of her own room. She pulled out her keys and unlocked the door. Half of the room was clearly occupied, there were some personal items on the desk, some photos taped around the frame of the mirror, a high school pennant taped above the back of the bed saying the roommate had attended Dewitt High School.  
  
Crystal's eyebrows raised. Wasn't that the name of the school in Daughters of Darkness, the second book in the Night World series. It was one of her personal favourites, Ash had sounded so yummy.   
  
"You must by Crystal," a voice behind her said. Crystal turned to see an ordinary girl with shiny dark hair and bright blue eyes. She was dressed in jeans and a top decorated with moons and stars. "I'm Mary-Lynette."  
  
Crystal nodded, feeling her eyebrows raise, trying to think of something constructive to say. She couldn't believe it. Was she dreaming, or was she actually shaking the hand of Mary-Lynnette Carter, the soulmate of one yummy Ash Redfern?  
  
Mary-Lynnette was giving her a very strange look. "Are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost."  
  
Crystal flushed, a heated embarrassment flushing up her cheeks. "I'm fine," she said quickly. "Just nervous." She managed a weak smile, and turned to start unpacking her things.   
  
"I'm already done with mine, want some help?" Mary-Lynette offered.   
  
"That'd be great, thanks," Crystal said, sticking her collection of Night World books on her shelf. She had them all but the last one, which she'd been waiting for over a year to come out. With Mary-Lynnette helping, she'd unpacked most of her stuff in about half an hour. She was finishing setting up her computer when there was a knock on the door.  
  
"It's open," Mary-Lynnette said. She smiled. "Hey, Poppy."  
  
The girl who came in then, was short, with a mop of copper coloured hair, and green eyes like jewels. She was dressed in brightly coloured clothing, and smiled at Crystal. "Hi, I'm Poppy North," she said.  
  
"Crystal Harman," said Crystal.   
  
"You're a Harman?" Poppy asked.  
  
Crystal didn't know what to say. From what she knew the Harmans were the witches of the Night World. She had just thought it was a really weird coincidence that she looked like one, she had the same pale gold hair that the Harmans in the books seemed to have, and the same violet eyes. She had one or two beginner's spell books, but had never tried anything out, because she had never believed magic was real. "Uh, yeah," she said finally.   
  
"Wow," Poppy said. "Thea's going to be pleased. I thought there were almost no Harman females left." She glanced out the door then, and made beckoning motions. "Come on, don't be shy."  
  
The girl who came in the room was tall, dressed in dark, swirling clothing, with a mane of raven hair, that reflected the lights like a crow's wing. Her skin was like marble. Her eyes were the colour of the sky at twilight with flecks of silver, like starlight. Her features were exquisite, model perfect. Her expression was somewhat blank. She managed a weak smile.   
  
"This is my roommate, Susan," Poppy said cheerfully. "We used to go to middle school together."  
  
"Where abouts are you from?" Mary-Lynette asked Susan.  
  
"L.A.," Susan answered. "You?"  
  
"Briar Creek, small town in Oregon," Mary-Lynnette answered. "What about you Crystal?"   
Crystal blinked, coming back to reality. "Uh, small town in Washington State, Black Brook valley."  
  
What was happening here? It was weird enough seeing Poppy and Mary-Lynnette, exactly the same as they were in the books, but adding Susan to the mix...that was just insane. Susan wasn't even a real person. She was a character Crystal had created for one of her fan fics.   
  
Bored of waiting for the final Night World book about the last Wild Power to come out, she had created her own - Susan. The girl had been everything Crystal wasn't. Powerful, smart, popular, beautiful, brave, strong...and bad.   
  
And now...she was here? Did this mean what she thought it did? Poppy had been a vampire in the story, made by her boyfriend James to save her life. So...was Night World...no. No. It couldn't be. It was just a very bizarre coincidence.   
  
Coincidences happened, right?   
  
There was another knock at the door, and as if on cue, both Ash and James walked in. This was getting ridiculous.   
  
"So, who are the hot girls?" Ash asked, smiling at Crystal and Susan. Susan rolled her eyes in disgust.   
  
"Get a life, Ash," she muttered.  
  
"I have one, thanks," Ash said. He reached out to take Crystal's hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it gently. "Hi there, I'm Ash."  
  
"Crystal Harman." She didn't like him being so flirty right of, particularly in front of his soulmate. An idea crossed her mind, and she smiled wickedly, and kicked him in the shins.   
  
Ash yelped, and stepped back, rubbing his sore shin. "Why is it that every girl I've met recently seems to love kicking me?" he complained.   
  
Mary-Lynnette laughed. "I think we're going to be good friends," she said to Crystal.   
  
Even James was smiling. "Maybe they're trying to tell you, something, Ash," he suggested.  
  
Ash gave him a look. "Ha, ha," he said moodily.  
  
Mary-Lynnette gave him a comforting hug. "Poor Ash," she said sympathetically.   
  
"Sickening, isn't it?" Susan muttered.  
  
Crystal was confused. In the end of Susan's fic, she'd given Susan a soulmate, and a complete character change as well. Where had that all gone? This was getting very confusing.   
  
"We just came to mention there's a party tonight for freshmen," James said. "You guys up for it?"  
  
"Sounds fun," Poppy said cheerfully. "Mare?"  
  
Mary-Lynnette nodded, "I'm up for it. Crystal?"  
  
Crystal nodded. "Sure."  
  
"Should we warn every guy on campus to wear shin guards?" Ash said dryly.   
  
Crystal smiled. "If they're as annoying as you, yeah," she answered sweetly. Ash muttered something she didn't catch.  
  
The others left then, to go see who else they could find, Crystal told them, she'd catch up. This was a little too weird for her, okay, it was a *lot* weird. She didn't understand it. Had she wandered into some sort of parallel universe where characters from books and fan fictions were real?  
  
She had been worried about whether or not her roommate would like her. It seemed that they got on okay, so that was a relief. But it was still very, very weird. She wasn't much of a party person, and actually found herself looking forward to the party, wondering just who else she would meet.  
  
* * *  
  
The rest of the day went by quickly. Crystal was still baffled by the possibility that Night World was real. All these people seemed to be popping up all over the place. She went to the freshman party that night with Mary-Lynnette, Ash, James and Poppy. Poppy's cheerfulness was starting to get annoying. She talked all the time. She liked Poppy, but wondered vaguely how James put up with her.  
  
James glanced over at her with a dry smile. As if reading her thoughts, he said, "You get used to her." Crystal opened her mouth to ask how he had known what she was thinking...but of course, he was a vampire. Vampires could read minds.   
  
But that was what really got her. Vampires? *Real* vampires? Was she actually standing with three people who drank *blood* for a living?   
  
"Oh, Crystal, come over here." Poppy bounded over, grabbing Crystal's arm pulling her to a table where four people were sitting, two boys and two girls. One girl had yellow hair spilling to her shoulders, and wise brown eyes. One of the boys had sandy hair and a nice smile, and bright hazel coloured eyes. "This is Thea and Eric," Poppy said. She nodded at Crystal. "This is Crystal. She's a Harman too."  
  
They moved closer making room for Crystal. She eyed the other couple. He was tall, dark haired dark eyes, with a sort of "nice boy" look to him. She looked kind of similar to Thea, shoulder length blonde hair, eyes like emeralds. They couldn't be who she thought they were...  
  
"This is Jenny and Tom, our roommates," Thea said brightly.  
  
Everyone seemed to be in such a good mood, it was starting to get a little sickly. Crystal managed a weak smile. It was taking all her self control not to scream at Jenny that she was insane. What had Jenny been thinking? She could have had Julian and instead she'd wound up with loser Tom? She was going to have to work really hard at not insulting him.   
  
"Oh, there's Dee," Jenny said, waving.   
  
"Hey, what's up?" The girl who joined them could have been an African princess. She was, of course, Dee Eliade. Dee had been one of the characters - people - that Crystal had admired most. The introductions were made all over again. And Dee introduced her own roommate.   
  
The girl with Dee looked similar to Poppy, short with a mane of curly red hair. "I'm Bonnie."  
  
Of course. Crystal had to bite her lip on asking her where Damon was. Bonnie disappeared for a minute or two and came back with more people. The rest of the Vampire Dairies gang. Crystal tried to keep a straight face as she was introduced to Meredith and Elena, it took all her self control not to melt at Stefan's feet.   
  
She had liked Stefan, but in her opinion Damon had sounded so much more fun. She had to hide her disappointment that Damon had shown up. Couldn't have everything. She wasn't much on conversation as the others talked. She was really too overwhelmed, and kept silent to keep herself from saying something stupid. She hadn't liked the idea of Jenny picking Tom over Julian. She hadn't liked Tom, period. She hadn't liked the idea of Elena suddenly coming back to life at the end of the VD series, either. As she watched Elena and Stefan., she admitted, if only to herself, that maybe they did belong together, but still...the last VD book had really spoiled the series.   
Before long, she came back to reality finding herself alone at a table with Tom. Oh no, she thought.   
  
"Where'd everyone else go?" she asked.   
  
"I think they're still around somewhere," Tom said. "So where are you from?"  
  
Crystal found herself wishing if vampires really did exist, one would come and take care of Tom for her. Maybe it's all one huge dream, Crystal thought. I'll wake up in a minute and laugh at myself for having such dumb fantasies.  
  
And yet, somehow deep inside, she knew that despite how stupid this all seemed, there was no dream. She wouldn't wake up in a minute. And to tell the truth, she didn't really want to. She was fascinated despite herself.  
  
They were all real, and they were all being really nice. Even Meredith wasn't holding to the sarcastic observer's impression she'd been given in the book. Meredith had been one of her favourite characters.  
  
"Small town in Washington. Real dull and boring. Nothing ever happens." Suddenly, her lip curved. She couldn't help herself. "So, has anything interesting happened to you lately? Played any good games or anything? Nothing ever happens at my home, so a new game is actually interesting to us."  
  
Tom was looking at her in a very strange way. She looked back innocently. "How did - " he began. "No," he said finally. "Nah. We haven't really done anything interesting lately."  
  
Come on Tom, you're such a lousy liar, Crystal thought.   
  
The he looked at her suspiciously. "Why did you ask that?"  
  
Crystal opened her mouth to tell him a lie, then shrugged. Why not? Tell him the truth. "Because you were in a book I read. You all played this game where you had face your worst nightmares."  
  
Tom stared. "What book is this?"  
  
"It's called the Forbidden Game series, I have it, you can borrow it sometime," she said vaguely.   
  
"Huh?" said Tom. He looked completely bewildered. Crystal really couldn't blame him. It had been a very strange day.  
  
It was about to get a whole lot stranger.  
* * *  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Part 2

Crystal felt and overwhelming rush of relief when Poppy showed up again, dragging her away from Tom, telling her there was someone she must meet.   
  
"Why so relieved?" Poppy asked.  
  
Crystal sighed. "It's not worth explaining. I just don't like Tom."  
  
Poppy glanced over at Tom, who had been joined by Jenny again. "I think he's cute," she said.   
  
Crystal was appalled. "You have a soulmate," she reminded Poppy before she could catch herself. She bit her lip. She wasn't supposed to know about things like this.   
  
Poppy was surprised. "How do you know James and I are soulmates?"  
  
"I can tell," Crystal said lamely.   
  
She really had to watch herself. She didn't want to slip again. But maybe around the Night Worlders it wouldn't be so bad. They thought she was really a Harman, a witch. Then she had every right to know and talk about soulmates and things.   
  
This time she introduced to Jez and Morgead, another of her favourite couples. At least everyone she was introduced to seemed to like her. No one had said anything about her lack of conversation. She spent the rest of the evening talking with them, Poppy, James, and Susan who had joined them, until Susan muttered, "Oh God, scary bitch alert."  
  
Crystal wondered why Susan was quoting *The Craft*. Don't tell me they're here too, she thought. That would just be completely, totally insane. But what passed by was ten times more scary than the girls from the movie.   
  
"Drop dead," a girl's voice snorted.  
  
"Been there, done that," Susan replied with an unpleasant smile.   
  
The girl who walked past was tall, dressed entirely in revealing black leather, golden hair falling to her shoulders, blue eyes glittering cold and hard, dark lips in an unpleasant glare at Susan.   
  
"Who's that?" Poppy asked.  
  
"That would be Aurelia Wolf," Morgead said, glancing in the direction Aurelia had gone.  
  
"She's your worst nightmare," Jez said. "She's worse than Susan."  
  
"Thank you," Susan said dryly.   
  
Crystal could feel a shaking deep down inside her. This was *not* happening. Aurelia was another character she had created. An assassin known as The Bitch from Hell. What was she *doing* here? Aurelia hated humans, and Redferns, and would never stay in an environment with both of them without a reason.  
  
She couldn't help herself. This was too much. She ran.   
  
* * *  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Crystal headed back to her room. She shook her head in utter bewilderment. What a weird day. She just couldn't get over how bizarre all this was. Her favourite characters from books she loved all showing up and turning out to be real?  
  
Who would ever believe it? It made her wonder. If they were all real, then that must mean...all the weird species involved in the books were real too. Imagine that. A whole society of supernatural beings living right beside you, always there, and you would never know it.  
  
She sighed, glancing around. It was already dark, and she was alone. Normally, she was used to being alone, she didn't mind. But all these people were here now...she had to admit, she was hoping some of them would be her friends. She liked Bonnie and Dee and Mary-Lynnette. It would be a pain if you weren't going to be friends with your roommate. She also had to admit, she liked Poppy and Jez and Morgead too. She didn't know how she was going to explain to them all why she'd run off. But maybe they'd figure out she just didn't like Aurelia much.  
  
Which was kind of a distortion of the truth, since Aurelia was one of her favourite bad characters. But still, maybe it would be wise to steer clear of her.   
  
She had to admit, she felt she was at least going to be happy here. She had been dreading coming as well as looking forward to it. She'd been afraid that all the people would be mean and horrible and tease her. But she was surprised. Very, very surprised.  
  
She was so deep in her own thoughts she didn't notice the footsteps behind her. When someone grabbed her arm she spun round instinctively, looking at the dark, dirty stranger, with the flaring silver eyes. She could feel something happening to her mind. Mind control, oh God, there was *vampire* controlling her mind.  
  
And Crystal got mad.  
  
"Oh no you don't, you son of a bitch," she snapped, yanking her arm free as he tried to pull her closer. She hit him hard, and he stumbled backward taken completely by surprise. Fighting was not one of her expertise, she didn't have a clue what she was doing, but she was prepared to try.   
  
He was on his feet again in a second, circling round her, trying to get behind. Crystal was feeling hot with anger and frightened tears were slipping down her pale cheeks uncontrollably. She felt annoyed at herself, and as the fear grew...so did something inside her.  
  
She raised her hand to ward the guy off...when something shot out of her palm. Something bright and orange, which hit the vampire in the chest, sending him staggering backwards.  
"Stupid witch," he snarled, hurling himself at her again.  
  
The force of the attack knocked Crystal back to the ground and he landed on top of her, pinning her. Crystal was too frightened and shocked to try the energy blast again. Her eyes widened as the guy's canine teeth lengthened to sharp points, curving and shimmering like pearls.  
  
She screamed.  
  
Before he could bite her, some yanked him off her. Throwing him out the way, and there was someone else helping her up. A kind voice, saying, "Hey, come on, it's okay, we're your friends," and leading her away.  
  
Crystal scrambled up and went with the girl with the fiery red hair. Her unusual smoky blue eyes surprised Crystal. So that meant she must be...  
  
She glanced around to see how had saved her. A boy with gold hair and blazing gold eyes, who was punching the vampire's lights out. The pissed off vampire turned and scrambled off into the night.  
  
Finally, the blond boy turned back to Crystal. "Are you all right?" he asked.  
  
"I..." Crystal couldn't get any words out. She stared down at her hand.  
  
"Cute trick," a snide voice from the shadows said. Crystal glanced over to see someone else, who looked like a drawing in black and white, devastatingly handsome, with the most piercing grey eyes, lips curved in a smile. He held up a palm, imitating the energy blast thing she did.  
  
"Oh shut up Gabriel," the redhead snapped. Then she turned back to Crystal. "What *was* that?" she asked. "The energy blast? I've seen a lot, but I've never seen anything like that."  
  
"Are you hurt?" the blond asked.  
  
Crystal shook her head. "I...I don't think so," she managed. "Uh...hi, my name's Crystal Harman."  
  
"I'm Kaitlyn," the girl said. "That's Rob, the one who saved you, and the idiot over there in the shadows is Gabriel."  
  
Of course. Who else would they be?  
  
"It's so nice that you always show your affection Kait," Gabriel said with a sneer.   
  
Kaitlyn sighed. "Now I remember why I dumped you," she muttered.  
  
Crystal glanced at her. She was as inane as Elena and Jenny. Although Crystal was glad Rob had saved her, she would have had Gabriel over him any day. She tended to have a thing for bad guys. Good guys were okay in the abstract, they were nice and friendly, bad guys were so much more fun.   
  
"We'd better walk you back to your room," Rob said.  
  
"Fine. Okay. Whatever." Crystal was too out of it and bewildered to care anymore. She let them escort her back to her room. The energy blast. She'd read about that...  
  
And her surname was Harman and she had violet eyes and pale blonde hair...so that must mean...  
Oh God, she thought.  
  
And fainted.  
* * *  
  
(For those peeved Kait and Gabe broke up, don't dispair, I have a cunning plan :) )  



	3. Part 3

Crystal woke in her bed in her dorm room, to find a group of strange people looking down on her. Rob was there, and so was Kaitlyn, Gabriel was lurking by the door, leaning against it, not really coming inside. Meredith, Bonnie and Elena were there too. Bonnie was putting a cloth in some kind of liquid and bringing it over. Mary-Lynnette was sitting on a chair by the bed. Susan was lounging against the bathroom door. Poppy and James and Ash were there.   
  
"Oh, you're awake," Bonnie said. "How do you feel?"  
  
"I...don't know yet," Crystal murmured. She had convinced herself that she must have been dreaming. Of course she had been. You didn't move to a new place and find all your favourite characters from your favourite books there. Or a character you had created. But...but here they all were again.  
  
And as for the vampire attacking her and herself doing an energy blast with fighting witch's orange power and the realisation that she must be...a Harman lost witch...  
  
She groaned. "I think I'm going insane," she muttered.  
  
"Insane? Why?" Bonnie asked, putting the wet cloth on Crystal's forehead. It felt cool and faintly scented of something she couldn't place. She wondered what it was.  
  
"Because none of you people are real," Crystal said vaguely. "You're all characters in a series of books. I've read them hundreds of times. Susan isn't even a real person. She's just a figment of my fucked up imagination. Kaitlyn, you should be with Gabriel. What were you thinking, leaving him when he loved you so much? And Elena, you could have had Damon. I'd have him any day. But I guess if Gabriel's now available, I'll have him too..." And she passed out again, drifting away into her soft, happy slumber.  
  
* * *  
  
The people in the room exchanged glances.   
  
"Characters in a book?" Kaitlyn echoed. "What *is* she talking about?"  
  
Elena sighed. "Who knows? And how does *she* know about Damon?"  
  
"And what would she knows about Gabriel's feelings for Kait?" Rob chimed in his own question.  
  
"I don't think she's so bad," Gabriel protested, his lip curling. " I like her."  
  
Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "Of course you would. She just practically offered herself to you."  
  
Meredith walked over to the bookshelf, and pulled something down. "Maybe she isn't crazy," she said softly.  
  
Bonnie glanced at the book. "What's that?"  
  
Meredith frowned and opened the book, flipping through it. "It's...about us," she said. "Our lives, what happened the last year or so ago."  
  
Elena took it, scanning the back cover. "But that...that's impossible. Have you read it?"  
  
"Not yet, but I will," Meredith said. She glanced over at Crystal's bookshelves. Lots of books on vampires and supernatural stories, a few witchcraft books. Some textbooks. Her CD collection, a few videos for the TV, and VCR, all along the horror movie genre.  
  
Something was off here. You didn't just pick up a book that told your life story.   
  
"What are we going to do about this?" Elena asked.  
  
"I have absolutely no idea," Meredith answered. "But I think we should keep an eye on our friend over here." She nodded over at Crystal.  
  
"But what about the guy with the long pointy teeth who attacked her?" Rob said.  
  
"What guy with pointy teeth?" Elena asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.   
  
"We heard someone scream and came to help and saw Crystal being attacked by some guy with long canine teeth. He looked kind of dirty and nasty and I stopped him before he could hurt her, and during the attack, Crystal did something - some sort of - of - magic blast I guess is the best way to describe it." Rob stopped before he went on. When he spoke it was slowly and carefully. "And well, I know this may sound completely crazy but he was well - I think he might have been a vampire."  
  
"And maybe Crystal's a witch," Bonnie suggested. "With new powers. Cool."  
  
"It's not crazy," Meredith said with a sigh. "Vampires are real. Elena's dating one. But he's a nice vampire."  
  
"Meredith!" Elena snapped. "We don't want the whole campus knowing there are undead among us."  
  
"She's not the only one," Susan said, nodding over to Mary-Lynnette.  
  
Everyone looked at Mary-Lynnette who flushed. Ash rolled his eyes.   
  
"You're a *vampire?*" Bonnie asked Ash.  
  
Ash sighed heavily. "All right all right. Yes, I'm undead. But do are Poppy and James and Susan."  
  
"Makes sense," Bonnie muttered, glancing at Susan, who gave her a deadly look, midnight eyes flashing silver.   
  
"No one's supposed to know about us," Susan said bluntly. "But..."  
  
"Don't worry, we won't tell," Kait said. "We've seen some pretty weird stuff too."  
  
"Yeah, look at Rob," Gabriel snorted.  
  
Rob didn't say anything, just ignored him. "Come on Kait," he said. "It's late, I think we'd better go."  
  
"But what did she mean about Susan being a figment of a fucked up imagination?" Gabriel asked.   
  
No one answered. Meredith had pulled off another book, and opened it reading, "'You know, someone told me this would happen,'" Ash said. '"That you'd come to a hick town and chase a goat killer?'"  
  
Both Mary-Lynnette and Ash turned to her, looks of shock on their faces. If it had been another situation, the looks would have been comical. "What?" Ash said, reaching over and snatching up the book.   
  
"Hey, here's one about us," Poppy said. She pulled a third book off the shelf, flipping through the pages. "This is unbelievable."  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Ash demanded, a question no one had an answer to. "You don't just pick up a book and find your entire life story written down, everything you say documented word for word."  
  
"Susan, you're Internet Queen," Poppy said. "Why don't you see what you can find out?"  
  
Susan sighed. "All right. I guess I've got nothing better to do." She left the room.   
  
  
Kaitlyn and her friends left, along with Meredith and her friends. Meredith had taken the series about her life, and Poppy had borrowed the book about her and James. Ash had gone as well. Mary-Lynnette sat on her bed, unsure what to do. She looked at the book Meredith had read from, something called *Daughters of Darkness*. Her life story. With nothing else to do, she started to read.   
  
* * *  
  
Crystal woke with a splitting headache. How unfair. On her second day too. She vaguely remembered last night and the very strange day. She glanced around to find Mary-Lynnette was already up, her bed neatly made. She was deeply engrossed in Crystal's copy of Spellbinder, the third Night World book, telling Thea and Eric's story.   
  
Mary-Lynnette looked up. "Feeling better?"  
  
Crystal groaned suddenly, remembering everything very clearly, and making a complete fool of herself too. "Oh God," she muttered. "Everyone must think I'm crazy. I was completely out of it."  
  
"Well, it's not every day you're attacked by a vampire. I remember how I reacted when I first found out," Mary-Lynnette said with a shrug.   
  
Crystal looked up at her bookshelf, noticing several gaps. Her Vampire Diaries series ones were gone. So was her copy of Secret Vampire and Daughters of Darkness.  
  
"Poppy has the first two Night World ones, and Meredith borrowed the other ones," Mary-Lynnette explained, seeing her look. She shook her head in mild disbelief. "I can't believe it," she said. "It's so amazing. All our life stories written out word for word."  
  
She was looking at Crystal, as if for an explanation. Crystal just shrugged. "Don't ask me, I didn't write them."   
  
There was a knock on the door and Poppy came in, looking slightly bewildered. "You guys are *not* gonna believe what Susan's found on the 'Net."   
  
"Go on, I'll catch up," Crystal said. She dragged herself out of bed as Poppy and Mary-Lynette left the room. Her head throbbed painfully. This was all too bizarre. She wondered how Meredith and crew were going to react to the VD series. She wasn't sure she'd be too pleased to find her entire life story written down on paper for everyone to read.   
  
She made her way down to Poppy and Susan's room to find them all crowded around Susan's laptop computer, looking totally baffled and bewildered. She really couldn't blame them.   
  
"I just can't believe it," Poppy was saying. "There's so *much* about us available to everyone."  
  
"Look at the bright side," Mary-Lynnette offered. "At least everyone seems to like the books we're in."  
  
"I just can't believe so many humans know about the Night World," Susan said snidely. "The council are going to be so pissed about this. Their assassins are going to have a field day."  
  
"I have a question," Poppy said. "How come there's no book about Susan?"  
  
"That's something that bugged me too," Susan said. They both looked at Crystal.  
  
Crystal flushed, sitting in one of the chairs. "There's no book about you, Susan, because you're a character I created." She stood up. "Give me that." She took the computer, logging on to Twilight Tales, one of her favourite internet sites, where the best collection of LJS based fan fiction was found. She pulled up her story Black Lighting, detailing Susan's life.   
  
Susan shook her head in mild bemusement. "I really don't believe this."  
  
"There's something I don't understand," Crystal said with a frown. "I wrote a second story to this. You became good after you were turned into a Wolf, and became Seraphin Wolf, one of my RPG characters."  
  
Susan shrugged. "Don't ask me."  
  
"You know, I always wondered why I had so many different encounters of meeting Ash again after he left the first time," Mary-Lynnette said thoughtfully.  
  
Crystal pointed at the screen. "Everyone seems to love writing fics about you and Ash. Maybe it's cause of the way the book was left."  
  
Susan smiled. "No one seems to like that guy Tom we met last night much. Everyone seems to think Jenny should be with some gorgeous sounding guy called Julian."  
  
"Oh they're all from this series called the Forbidden Game," Crystal said vaguely. "And they're right. Tom's a jerk. I'd have Julian over him any day."  
  
"From his description, so would I," Susan said with a grin.  
  
"What's happening with all this stuff about the Wild Powers?" Poppy asked. "We can't seem to find anything conclusive about finding the Fourth."  
  
"I'm sitting right here," Susan said, waving slightly.  
  
Crystal shook her head. "I don't know. The final Night World book hasn't been written yet. That's one of the reasons I created Susan. But lots of other people have created fourth Wild Powers too. There's nothing conclusive about how the Night World series is going to end."  
  
It was all becoming very, very overwhelming. She couldn't under their questions about why everyone was there. She made a vague excuse to leave the room. She needed some air.   
  
When she had first wanted to go away to college she had wanted a more interesting life, cause her own sucked. But it looked like she was getting more than she bargained for.   
  
* * *  
  
  
  
  



	4. Part 4

Crystal found herself wandering around aimlessly, unsure what do to. She needed to do something...something *normal*. But couldn't seem to think of what. Then an idea occurred. Maybe check out the town the university was in, a small town on the Canadian border called Cedar Falls. There were picturesque mountains in the background, complete with snow. A weak sun was glowing dull tan in the pale sky. Maybe Bonnie or perhaps Jenny would like to go too. As long as Jenny didn't bring Tom with her. Crystal made a face.  
  
"Hey, feeling better?"  
  
Crystal turned to see Bonnie behind her. "Uh, yeah. I think I must have hit my head or something," she said as an excuse for weird behaviour.  
  
"Totally understandable," Bonnie said. "It's not every day you're....you know." She looked around the campus at the other students, and Crystal guessed Bonnie was unwilling to use the word "vampire" in front of them.  
  
Crystal suddenly felt shy. She wasn't really used to being around people, preferring her own company more. Now she was here...she might as well make an effort to make friends. It seemed like if she did she wouldn't be disappointed. "Listen, I was thinking of maybe going and looking around town, and I - "  
  
"That sounds like fun," Bonnie said cheerfully. "Meredith's engrossed in some books she borrowed for you, Stefan and Elena are...occupied..." Bonnie's eyebrows raised and she grinned mischievously.  
  
Crystal smiled herself, knowing what Bonnie meant. "I hope they have some good shops," Bonnie said, starting in the direction towards town. Students were all over, learning their way around, getting to know one another. The town was about a half hour walk from the campus. It was such a nice day that   
no one really minded the walk. Crystal just hoped someone she knew would have a car.  
  
Crystal spotted lots of people from the party last night, all who waved and called out hi or hello. Including Jez and Morgead, Thea and Eric, and Jenny.  
  
"Want to come into town with us?" Bonnie asked Jenny, seeing she was alone.  
  
"Sure."  
  
She had fun as she, Bonnie and Jenny, wandered around, looking in the shops. The nearest city was about an hour's drive away. They didn't have time to check it out today, they agreed on doing that tomorrow. For the first time in her life, Crystal felt she had finally found somewhere to belong.  
  
She was in the dressing room of one of the small clothes stores, about to try on a new top she'd picked out, with a design of stars and moons and glitter on the front. She pulled off her own top, hearing footsteps in the room, she just ignored them.  
  
And someone pulled her curtain open. Crystal gasped, holding the top she was about to try on over her chest. And found herself staring into a boy's face. A handsome boy, lanky and elegant, his eyes were widening in surprise, eyes that shifted colour from moment to moment.  
  
"You're not Mary-Lynnette," Ash said, an eyebrow raised.  
  
Crystal couldn't help herself. She kicked him in the shins. Again. He yelped and leapt back.  
  
"Do you kick everyone you meet?" Ash asked, bending down to rub his sore shin.  
  
"Ash what are you doing? Get out of here!" Mary-Lynnette's voice said. She smiled apologetically at Crystal. "Sorry, Ash can be an asshole when he wants to be."  
  
"Which is most of the time," Crystal snapped, an embarrassed heat flushing up her face.  
  
"Get out of here, Ash," Mary-Lynnette said again.  
  
She yanked her curtain shut, and pulled her own top back on. She was just going to buy the damn thing and hope it fitted. She stalked out the dressing room, glaring at Ash, who held up his hands apologetically.  
  
"Let it go," he said. "It was a mistake anyone could make."  
  
"What the hell are you doing in a girl's dressing room anyway?" Crystal snapped, then as Ash opened his mouth she held up her hand. "On second thoughts, I don't think I want to know."  
  
"I'm guessing we don't invite Ash to join us," Bonnie said with a snicker.  
  
Ash put on a hurt expression. "You girls are hurting my feelings." Pouting he left the store.  
  
"He's a jerk, how do you put up with him?" Crystal asked Mary-Lynnette, still angry and embarrassed. Maybe she should use her new witch powers to put a curse on Ash. Make him learn to have manners. He'd hate that.  
  
Mary-Lynnette smiled. "You get used to him. He doesn't mean harm."  
  
"You guys want to join us?" Jenny asked.  
  
Mary-Lynnette sighed. "I'd better go make Ash feel better." She grinned.  
  
"Have fun," Bonnie snickered.  
  
Crystal shook her head. They both had dirty minds. They left the clothing store then and were about to head back to campus when Bonnie spotted a New Age shop on the edge of town. "We have to go in," she said. "I love New Age shops."  
  
Crystal did too. She was always spending money there. Everyone back home thought she had been wasting her time with her interest in magic and the supernatural. Despite the fact she had never believed in it, the subject had always fascinated her. Was she going to show them when she went home with her new powers.  
  
Jenny notably looked a little uncomfortable when Crystal picked up a book on runes. "You'd better be careful with that," she said cautiously. "Playing with runes can be dangerous." She shuddered a little.  
  
Crystal picked up a long wooden staff-like object with strange markings engraved down the side. "What's this?" she asked, holding it up.  
  
The sales assistant glanced at her. "That's a runestave. You get a set of wooden runes free if you buy it."  
  
Crystal picked up a beautifully crafted silver knife lying beside it. An idea was beginning to form in her mind. She took the book on runes, the runestave and the knife to the counter. Bonnie was already there with several books on Celtic magic. Jenny was the only one who didn't buy anything.  
  
Crystal couldn't imagine why.  
***  
  
Crystal pushed her way through the crowds the following morning, as she registered for her classes, looking for someone she knew. All the lines were long and everyone else seemed to be with people, making her feel small and insignificant. She looked around for the line for History, one of her   
favourite subjects. Someone who wasn't paying attention to where he was going knocked into her, sending all her registration papers and her notepads flying.  
  
"Oh, sorry," a familiar male voice said. Crystal looked up from picking up her papers into eyes that shifted colour from moment to moment.  
  
"Not you again," she said, annoyed, as Ash just stood where he was, watching her.  
  
"Don't just stand there Ash, help her out," another voice said. And then the someone was bending down, helping Crystal herself. Crystal glanced over, to see the someone was Rowan Redfern. Of course it would be. She was pretty sure Kestrel would have just stood and watched too. "I guess you and Ash   
have already had a run in then."  
  
"Yeah, he walked into a girls dressing room the other day. He really does have no manners." Crystal glared at Ash.  
  
"What were you doing in a girl's dressing room?" Rowan asked as she stood up, handing Crystal the things she'd collected. Ash opened his mouth but Rowan cut in before he could speak. "On second thought, don't answer that. I don't want to know." She smiled at Crystal. "Hi, I'm Rowan Redfern."  
  
"Crystal Harman."  
  
"Ash is being a pain again?" Thea joined them then, grinning at Ash, who just looked innocently back at them all. "I never asked, Crystal are you Midnight or Twilight?" Thea said.  
  
Crystal hadn't really thought about that. She would have liked to be Midnight, the powerful witches. But until she was sure of herself, of her own powers, she'd better play it safe. Twilight. I'm actually kind of new at all this. I'm a lost witch, and I only discovered my talents recently. It's a little overwhelming."  
  
"Don't worry, we'll help you fit in," Thea said brightly. "There's a party for new...you know...tonight at the local Black Dahlia." It seemed Thea didn't want to mention the Night World amongst the rest of the student body either. Was it because she thought everyone would think she was crazy if they heard   
her talking about something from a series of books, or just because of general Night World rule? Did Thea know about the books? Crystal was having enough trouble trying to explain this all to herself, let alone to anyone else. They all seemed to look to her for the answers. But she didn't have any.  
  
Crystal was confused. "I thought The Black Iris were the Night World club chain."  
  
"Black Iris is for the bad guys, Black Dahlia is new, for the good guys," Ash supplied. "If you need a date I'll be happy to escort you."  
  
"Mary-Lynnette is going to end up killing you before the end of the freshman year," Rowan snorted.  
  
"Is there anything particular you'd like to focus your magic on?" Thea asked Crystal.  
  
Crystal paused for a minute, appearing to think this over carefully. She was well aware that every Night World witch had to have a speciality by the time they were eighteen. And she'd already picked hers. "Runes, I think."  
* * *  
  
Later that afternoon when Crystal was alone in her room, she pondered the idea of how she was going to get Kaitlyn and Gabriel back together. She'd spoken to them both briefly during the day, not mentioning what she was planning She couldn't believe they had broken up! They had been one of her favourite couples. She had to do something about it. . She wondered how she was going to get Kaitlyn to read her Dark Visions book. She wondered what Meredith and her friends thought of the Vampire Diaries ones.  
  
She picked up the runestave she'd bought the other day, twirling it around, looking at the strange, fascinating symbols carved in. She picked up the knife, and began making patterns with it, not really paying attention to what she was doing. She put the stave down and actually started reading the   
rune book she'd bought. As much as she'd liked the Forbidden Game trilogy she didn't think she fancied the idea of being forced to face her worst nightmares. And she realised she didn't want to know what the nightmares of the other characters were.  
  
The knife in her hand was still unconsciously doodling, she found herself unaware that it was carving on the runestave itself.  
  
Until a sudden flash of white light filled her vision.  
  
She dropped the book, and the knife, as the flashes grew brighter and brighter, almost a strobe effect, colours mixing in, like being in the middle of a dance floor. A mist was beginning to fill the room.  
  
And when the mist cleared, someone was standing in the centre of the room, a very surprised  
expression on his face, blue eyes of an indescribable colour, gazing at Crystal in amazement.  
  
Crystal's own eyes were wide, and her mouth had dropped open in surprise. This had *not* been expected. Jenny had warned her against playing with runes, and she hadn't listened.  
  
And now, she'd brought the Shadow Man back to life.  
* * *   
  
Crystal stood there staring for several minutes, before she reached out, grabbed a very surprised Julian's arms, dragged him to her, and kissed him for all she was worth. She pulled back, slightly breathless.  
  
He stared at her, completely stunned.  
  
She smiled a little. "I've *always* wanted to do that."  
  
Julian, for once, seemed at a loss for words. He looked around the dorm room, seeming disorientated and confused as to where he was and what was happening. Then his eyes fell on the runestave. "You carved me back in."  
  
Crystal glanced at it. "Yeah, I guess I did." She tried, and failed, to keep the huge grin from her mouth. Oh, this was getting better and better.  
  
Julian's head tilted. "You know who I am." It wasn't a question.  
  
"Who doesn't? I can't believe they killed you off! You were one of my favourite villains."  
  
Julian's eyes fell on her bookcase, and walked over. He picked up the first one of her Forbidden Game trilogy, flipping through the pages, seeming fascinated. "I...I don't know what to say." He shook his head. "This is incredible. Every word, every detail. Jenny is described so perfectly..."  
  
Crystal debated on whether or not to mention Jenny's room was just down the hall. Then she remembered the party Thea had mentioned that afternoon. She'd love to see the looks on people's faces when she walked in with her gorgeous Shadow Man...  
  
  
She couldn't decide what to do. She hadn't actually intended to bring Julian back. It had just sort of  
happened. Now she found herself struggling to decide what to do.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, and Dee's dark head poked round, followed by Summer's blonde curls. "Hey Crystal, want to come into the city with us?" Dee said. Crystal hadn't even known Summer was at the university. She hadn't seen Summer before now.  
  
Julian looked mildly surprised to Dee. Summer saw him and shrieked. "Miss me?" he said.  
  
"You? Why are you here?" Dee demanded stepping into the room. She stood in front of Crystal, as if trying to protect her. "Keep back," she hissed. "He could be dangerous."  
  
Julian was amused. "Your friend over there is the one who carved my name back on the runestave."  
  
"Why did you do that?" Summer moaned, cowering behind Dee.  
  
Crystal wasn't really surprised at their reactions. Julian hadn't been the nicest person in the world towards them. Dee turned to her. "Is it true? Did you bring him back?"  
  
"Sort of. I just bought the runestave for fun. I didn't even think it would work. I was just messing around."  
  
"Don't play with things you don't understand." Julian held the book he was flipping through up to Dee. "Have you seen these?"  
  
Dee took the book, flipping through it as he had. "Well. I...I..." She seemed as speechless as everyone else. Crystal sighed. It was getting boring. So their life story was written down on paper. So what? They were just going to have to find ways of dealing with it.  
  
Crystal looked over the small group. Summer had ventured into the room now, to see what was happening, as fascinated with the books as everyone else. "Can I borrow these?" Dee asked. Crystal had never assumed Dee as a reader before.  
  
She shrugged. "I guess so." Dee took the books and left, as if she were going to read them that moment. Summer backed away, still seeming to be trying to hide from Julian. Finally, she left too.  
  
"I guess she doesn't like me very much," Julian said cheerfully. He smiled at Crystal. "So, what do you plan to do now you've brought me back?"  
  
Crystal's own eyebrows raised. "I can think of a few things," she said innocently. She hadn't been aware of planning on saying that, or what would happen afterwards, but she had a pretty good guess. And she was right too.  
* * *  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Part 5

"Well that was fun," Julian said. "I definitely like Night World witches."  
  
Crystal smiled. She'd told him too. Technically, she wasn't breaking any rules this time. Julian wasn't human. He wasn't even from Earth. He was a Shadow Man, from another universe entirely.   
  
"If you could be so kind as to direct me to Jenny's room...."  
  
"Down the hall, turn left, room 234." Crystal paused, sitting up in bed. She hadn't bothered getting up and dressed yet. "Oh, you might want to watch out for Tom too."  
  
Julian's eyebrows raised. "She's still with him?" He obviously had difficulty getting the words out.   
"Maybe we should have a word with one of your friendly vampire friends."  
  
"We could do that." After he left Crystal lay back, wondering what to do. There was almost three hours before the party that night. Thea and Rowan were supposed to be coming by to pick her up. She had time to kill and nothing to do.  
  
She got out of bed and dressed again, wondering. She left the dorm for a while, wandering around outside. She wondered how Jenny was going to react finding Julian turning up on her doorstep.   
  
She smiled faintly. She found a secluded area, a small pond, and a few trees and plants, some benches. It seemed peaceful, and it was what she needed right now. She had never expected to lose her virginity to a Shadow Man. But still, who was she to complain?  
  
But she had actually *done* that. She had brought him back. Her spell. She hadn't even realised she'd been casting a spell. Maybe Jenny had been right, playing with runes was dangerous.   
  
"Oh, I didn't realise anyone else was here."  
  
Crystal looked up form her musings to see Kaitlyn coming down one of the cobblestone paths. She seemed a little upset. "It's okay," she said.   
  
"Feeling better now?" Kaitlyn sat down next to her, obviously remembering her from the other night.  
  
"Fine," Crystal answered.   
  
There was a silence. Crystal wasn't much on conversation, and it seemed Kaitlyn wasn't either. She seemed rather miserable.  
  
"Is something wrong?" she asked.  
  
Kaitlyn sighed. "Gabriel and I had something going for a while, but we sort of broke up. His arrogance was starting to piss me off."  
  
Crystal was surprised. Kaitlyn and Gabriel had been one of her favourite couples. She had liked Kaitlyn because she hadn't gone with Golden Boy Rob, she'd preferred bad boy Gabriel instead, which would have been Crystal's own personal choice.  
  
But before she could open her mouth to say anything, Meredith, Bonnie and Elena walked into the little area, sitting on the other bench. They all looked quite perplexed. Elena didn't look happy.  
  
"I guess you guys know what Susan's found on the 'Net," Crystal said with a sigh.  
  
"Explain," Meredith demanded.   
  
Crystal held up her hands in an "I don't know" gesture. "Don't ask me. I haven't got a clue what's going on. I didn't come up with everything."  
  
"I tried to contact the author," Meredith said. "I got through to the agent, but they didn't believe me when I said who I was. The woman's exact words, were, 'Sure, honey, and I'm the Pope'."  
  
Crystal shook her head. "I don't know how to explain it any better than you do. I thought they were all just fictions. My life was normal before I came here. And now...all this."  
  
"What about Jenny and Susan?" Bonnie asked. "Susan's been pulling all sorts of things up off the 'Net, basic histories, bios, things others have written about us."  
  
"You seem to have written quite a bit too," Elena said. She looked a little insulted. Crystal guessed she'd found the Vampire Diaries stories she'd written once, Darkness in the Depths, done as a crossover with the TV series Charmed, about three sisters who were witches. In the story Elena had gone insane and the others had been forced to kill her.   
  
"I'm also guessing no one seems to like Jenny's boyfriend Tom very much," Meredith added.  
  
Crystal snorted. "He's a wimp. She can do better than that."  
  
"How come so many people seem to think I should be dead?" Elena asked indignantly.  
  
Crystal didn't know what to say. Personally, she herself didn't like the idea of Elena suddenly coming back from the dead. The final Vampire Dairies book, Dark Reunion, had spoiled the series. She had liked the end of the third one, that had been different, and the ending had made her respect Elena, and the fourth had spoiled it.   
  
"I don't know," she said again. "Maybe it's because you died at the end of the third book, and everyone's wondering after six months how you're going to fit back into society and explain it all."  
  
Elena didn't say anything, still looking rather peeved.  
  
"What was the weird magic blasty thing you did last night?" Kaitlyn asked.   
  
Crystal frowned. "Orange energy is something the Night World witches can do."  
  
"What's Night World?" Kait asked.   
  
Crystal sighed. Before she could explain, Jenny, Tom and Dee arrived. Tom didn't look happy. Crystal guessed maybe it was because he finally realised everyone hated him. She decided not to mention Julian was walking around campus somewhere looking for Jenny. That would just mess them up even more.   
  
Finally, she told them the basic details of the Night World. Everyone seemed to be looking to her for the answers, but as Crystal constantly kept saying...she had none. She didn't have the slightest idea why they were all there, now. She told them about the books, the clubs on the Internet, everything she could think of related to them.  
  
And the more she talked, an idea was starting to form in her mind. It seemed that everyone loving the books and reading them so often, and writing about them, playing the characters in RPGs, it seemed that everything had come true. Everyone loved them all so much, everyone's love had made them all real. Was this some sort of alternate universe that had been created? It didn't feel like it. Everyone was very, very real.  
  
"What's happening now?" Bonnie asked.  
  
"I don't know," Crystal said, getting tired of the phrase. "I never read anything about college life or anything."  
  
"I always wondered why I had so many different encounters with Damon," Bonnie said dryly.  
  
Crystal shrugged. "Bonnie/Damon fan fics seem to be something everyone loves writing, like Ash and Mary-Lynnette ones."  
  
"But what I don't understand if everyone loving us has made us real, what about TV? Why aren't characters from everyone's favourite TV shows and movies walking around?" Dee asked.  
  
It was a good question. Crystal hadn't considered that one yet.   
  
"Maybe because they're all played by actors, and the characters seem less real," Meredith suggested.  
  
"So if everyone stopped reading about us and writing and doing all those other things, then we'd all just die?" Tom asked.  
  
Crystal smiled faintly. "Somehow, I don't see that happening."  
  
"What's going to happen now?" Elena asked.  
  
No one knew.  
  
* * *  
Aurelia leaned against the tree, not sure she wanted to believe what she had just heard. Just in passing, she had heard that Harman girl talk about the Night World to humans. That was forbidden. She had been about to teach the girl a lesson that when you break Night World law you die, but then those other people had shown up.  
  
Characters in books?   
  
What the...?  
  
She shook her head in disbelief. The Council were *not* going to be happy about this.  
  
* * *  
  
Aurelia fought to contain her impatience. The Night World council were really pissing her off. They seemed unable to believe the things she showed them. She wasn't exactly completely brilliant at using the internet, her skills lay in other areas, but she knew enough to find out what she wanted.   
  
The council were all agape in disbelief that so many, many people seemed to know about the Night World. It was like their worst nightmares had come true. Some of them pointed out that when the millennium hit, then everything wouldn't matter any more because the world would be destroyed, there was no mention of any conclusive final Wild Power. And others pointed out that there were hundreds of them, all created as the fans lay in wait for what would happen. There were discussions of finding every created Fourth Wild Power and seeing what would happen.  
  
Personally, Aurelia thought that was absurd. There wasn't enough resources, and nowhere near enough time for that to happen. It was September, there were only four months left until the battle.   
  
"How exactly did you find out about this?" one of the council reps asked her.  
  
"I was on an assignment," she said briefly. "Everyone seemed to think with so many people starting college we had to keep tabs on the Night People to make sure they didn't let something slip and I over heard this girl talking about it. Everything comes from books and everyone loving them all makes them real or something."  
  
"And what book did you come from?" someone else asked snidely.   
  
Aurelia faltered. She hadn't got an answer to this one. From what it seemed, she had been created from someone's imagination, her entire personality, who she was, her life. But if she had been created, how was she here, at this moment, right now?   
  
No one seemed to have an answer to that one.   
  
"Bring her here," the Council leader ordered her. "We want to see what this girl knows."  
  
Aurelia left the room. At least, she thought, if she were a created character it wasn't her fault she was such a bitch. She wasn't responsible for any of her actions. But maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. She liked her life - or was that because she had been told to think like that? She didn't know. Oh the hell with it. It wasn't worth figuring out. She was who she was. She did what she did. If she was created and someone else was directing her, so what?   
  
Maybe this Crystal Harman person could provide some answers.  
  
Only one way to find out.  
  
* * *  
After the discussion Crystal was relieved to finally have some time to herself. She headed back to the room, and reached for her Dark Visions collectors edition. The only problem that didn't seem too complicated was how to got Kaitlyn and Gabriel back together. She had to do that. She got Gabriel's room number and banged on his door.   
  
He looked a little surprised to see her. "What do you want?"  
  
She barged in without being invited. "We need to get you back with Kait," she stated rather bluntly. Gabriel pushed the door over and stood there, looking at her, dark eyebrow raised, seeming rather amused. "You have to prove to her that you're not an arrogant bastard."  
  
Gabriel stared at her, seeming at a loss for words. Crystal knew what he must be thinking - who the hell did this crazy girl think she was barging in here and ordering him about?  
  
"Why do you care so much anyway?" he asked. "What business of yours is it?"  
  
"I'm making it my business," she said. She shoved her DV book in his hands. He took it, staring at it in surprise.  
  
"What the hell is this?" he demanded, meeting her eyes.  
  
"Read it," she told him. "And you'll see."  
  
Gabriel looked confused. "I don't get it," he said.  
  
"Just read the book and you will," Crystal said with a secret smile. She left the room, leaving him with the book. If he actually *did* read the thing he'd know what she meant.  
  
She headed back to her own room to find it occupied by Mary-Lynnette, Poppy, James and Ash. But they didn't look happy. They were staring at her sullenly. Crystal frowned. "What's going on?"  
  
"You tell us," a cold voice said.  
  
Crystal was confused. She glanced in the direction of the voice, watching in disbelief as the figure stepped out of the shadows, a semi-automatic with a silencer in her hands. As Frankenstein had been forced to face his monster, now Crystal was being forced to face her own monstrous creation, the Bitch from Hell.  
  
* * *  
  
  
  



	6. Part 6

Crystal just stood there unsure what to say. Frankenstein's monster wasn't armed with a semi-automatic, she thought irrationally. She stared at Aurelia, who stared coldly back at her, blue eyes like chips of ice.  
  
After thinking about it, she realised that they had no choice but to go with Aurelia. The group trudged silently down the halls to a white U-Haul van outside, where they were locked in the back. Crystal wondered vaguely about trying to undo the locks. But she wasn't that sure of herself yet.  
  
"How could you create someone like *her*?" Poppy asked.  
  
Aurelia sat in the van with them, the semi automatic resting in her lap. She just shrugged. "Don't blame me. It's not my fault I'm a bitch. It's hers." She nodded over at Crystal, who flushed, a little embarrassed.  
  
"I was tired of creating lovey-dovey characters who all end up with their soulmates and live happily ever after in Daybreak, so I created a bad one," she admitted finally.  
  
"Two bad ones," Mary-Lynnette pointed out. "Don't forget Susan."  
  
"Explain this to me," Aurelia demanded. "How the hell is everyone who's here, here, if none of us are real people? How do we know this reality and not some sort of time-warp where everyone's fantasies come true?"  
  
Crystal opened her mouth, but found herself just exchanging shrugs with the others. "I don't know," she said. "I'm not doing it."  
  
"So where are we going now?" James asked.  
  
"What do we have to do with this?" Ash put in, glaring at Crystal. "If you want to kill her, kill her and not us."  
  
"Thanks a lot!" Crystal snorted.   
  
"She's *your* fault," Ash pointed out, nodding at Aurelia, who glared at him equally pissed off.  
  
Crystal didn't know what to say. Ash had a point. For once. Crystal found herself wondering if Jenny and Tom had realised Julian was wandering around campus yet. She dreaded to think what would happen now she'd set him free to interact on earth.   
  
The van came to a stop and they were herded out like cattle. With Night Worlders pointing guns at them all there wasn't much else they could do. Crystal could feel the heat of the other's gaze on her. She couldn't really complain because Ash was absolutely right. Aurelia was her creation. But a creation she had been *proud* of.   
  
They were led into a forbidding looking mansion, all dark and twisting and very cliché. It was what she had always imagined Night World headquarters would look like. Everything was dark and shadowy and colourless.   
  
They were marched into a conference room where a group of people sat around a table. Some of them she recognised, she had created a few Night World council leaders. Some she didn't recognise.  
  
"What happens in the end of Night World?" one of them asked bluntly. "Do we survive?  
  
Crystal just shrugged. She didn't know. She had always assumed that the book would have a happy ending, all the soulmate couples would be together and everyone would live happily ever after. She would have liked to see what would happen if the Night World won, but it seemed unlikely. Night World stories had a tradition for a happy ending.   
  
"I don't know," she answered. "The final Night World book, Strange Fate, hasn't been written yet."  
  
"We've tried contacting the author, of course," someone else said. "But she seems impossible to find."  
  
"Why don't you just make Crystal write the damn book herself?" James suggested.   
  
Crystal stared at him in disbelief. "I can't do that!" she protested.   
  
There were mutterings amongst the council. "Why are they here?" she asked, nodding over to her friends.  
  
"We wanted to see some people from the books just to make sure what was going on, and it seems like they were the easiest ones to find," she was answered.  
  
After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence someone stood up and gestured for Crystal to follow. Crystal frowned, not liking where this person was leading her. She was led into a small room with no windows. The only furniture was a desk and a chair. She was made to sit in the chair and wait.  
  
She drummed impatient nails and waited, trying to ignore the pit of fear starting to grow in her stomach. She couldn't do this. There was no way she could actually *write* a Night World novel. What if she did it wrong? How would that change everything? To make the book real it would have to be read by millions of people, like all the others had. How did the council plan on doing that?  
  
The council rep came back with a lap top computer and several bottles of water and a glass. The computer was set up before her.   
  
"Get started," she was ordered. And left alone. She heard a key turn in the lock.  
  
She knew the basic plot line of Strange Fate. She'd had several ideas for her own version of it, but had never actually gotten round to writing them down. But now it looked like she had no choice.  
  
She sat at the computer, staring blankly at the screen, trying to think.  
  
An idea sparked, and she started to write.  
  
* * *  
The entire book itself must have taken a day to complete. Crystal was very proud of herself when she'd finally finished. The Night World told her they'd take care of things after that. She was led back to a cell containing Poppy, James, Ash and Mary-Lynnette.  
  
"Did you write the book?" James asked.  
  
Crystal tried not to smile smugly. "I did," she said.  
  
"What'd you write about?" Ash asked.  
  
This time Crystal couldn't help her little smirk. "Wait and see," she said.  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"This is driving me crazy!" Ash complained for about the hundredth time.  
  
Crystal sighed heavily. "You already are crazy," she muttered under her breath.   
  
Of course, with enhanced vampire hearing, Ash heard. "This is all your fault," he snapped at her.   
  
"It is not!" Crystal protested. "I didn't create the Night World or the council."   
  
"Knock it off," Mary-Lynnette said. Annoyed. "You two have been bickering like kids."  
  
"Its not my fault he's a pain in the ass," Crystal muttered, not caring if Ash heard or not. He opened his mouth to retaliate. Mary-Lynnette groaned and kicked him.   
  
"Maybe you could write a book where girls stop kicking me," Ash said, reaching down to rub his ankle.   
  
"Now where's the fun in that?" Poppy asked, trying not to grin.  
  
"Come on, at least give us a hint of what you wrote about," James said.   
  
Crystal just smiled smugly. She wondered how long it would take for everything to happen. Had the hook hit the shelves yet? Were millions of people reading the final Night World book? The waiting was annoying.   
  
But only she knew what happened in the end. It was going to be worth the wait.   
  
* * *  
  
  



	7. Part 7

"Something's happening out there," James said, glancing through the small window in their cell. The others gathered around to see. Crystal knew what they would see. Every Wild Power and Wild Power back-up team, everything relating to destroying the Night World was gathered around the Night World council house. She had no conclusive idea on getting the fourth, so she had just decided that everyone's created Wild Powers and alike would gather for the last battle.   
  
"I don't believe this." Ash actually sounded surprised.   
  
"Is this what you wrote?" Poppy asked.  
  
"Yep," Crystal said cheerfully.  
  
"Then why aren't they actually doing - "  
  
Mary-Lynnette's sentence was never complete. The room was obscured in a sudden flash of bright, swirling magical energies. Crystal had never felt anything like the sensation of Power surrounding her. When the power had gone and her vision had returned to normal, the Council House was gone. So were the council. So were the created Wild Powers, apart from the original ones from the book.   
  
"We won!" Poppy said cheerfully.  
  
"I'm surprised you didn't have the Night World kill us all," Ash snorted.  
  
"Maybe I should have had them kill you," Crystal snapped. Why did he have to put a damper on everything?  
  
"What's going on?" Iliana asked, looking confused. "Who are you?"  
  
Crystal sighed heavily, letting it slide. "It's not worth explaining," she said with a sigh.  
* * *  
  
It was lunch period the next day. Crystal sat with the characters discussing what had happened. She'd written about the Night World being destroyed and everyone living happily with their soulmates.  
  
"If you wrote everyone living with their soulmate hw come you didn't get one?" Elena asked, leaning against Stefan, who looked a little surprised. He glanced over Crystal's shoulder.  
  
"Damon? What are you doing here?"  
  
Tall, dark and incredibly sexy Damon Salvatore stood there, an amused expression on his handsome face. "I'm apparently here to sweep a Crystal Harman off her feet." He looked around. "So which one of you lovely ladies is Crystal Harman?"  
  
"That would be me," Crystal said grinning from ear to ear. It was her story, why couldn't she have a little fun? She allowed Damon to pull her into his arms and kiss her long and deep. A wonderful white light was beginning to bloom between them, and fire danced along her nerves.   
  
"I thought you liked sexy Shadow Men," Julian protested.   
  
"I do," Crystal said. "I also like sexy Italian vampires too."  
  
"You could have done a little better for yourself," Stefan muttered.  
  
"Hey." Elena hit him lightly. "You're taken."  
  
"That's not what I was saying!" Stefan protested.   
  
"Oh come on, little brother," Damon said, "this witch is hot."  
  
"How did you know I was a witch?" Crystal asked. "I didn't tell you."  
  
"Lightly link thing," was all Damon said. Crystal just shrugged, not really caring. She had her soulmate.   
  
"So Night World ended happily ever after," Jez said. "So did VD, and what's going on with this Forbidden Game thing?"  
  
Jenny glanced over at Tom and Julian. Tom didn't look too pleased. Julian was smirking. "Thanks a lot," she muttered, glaring at Crystal.   
  
"Can you make him not kill me?" Tom asked sourly.  
  
"I'll think about it," Crystal said.   
  
"What ever happened to that bitch you created?" Susan asked. "Tell me you killed her off."  
  
Crystal flushed a little. "Uh I wrote that she sort of escaped." It would be impossible to banish all the darkness. She didn't think she could actually stand to live in a world where everything was happy and all lovey-dovey. It would be nice, just...not practical. Maybe there was almost a need for a little darkness.   
  
"What's going to happen with me and Ash?" Mary-Lynnette asked.   
  
"Write another book where girls don't kick me anymore," Ash suggested for a second time.   
  
"Maybe," Crystal said, trying not to grin. "But I did write that you came back and you guys lived happily ever after."  
  
  
"Happy ever after seems to be a big part of these books," Delos pointed out, almost dryly.   
  
"What's wrong with happy ever after?" Maggie asked.   
  
"That's the reason everyone likes the books, I guess," Crystal said. "It's a break from the norm."  
  
"I would hardly call this little gathering here "the norm," " Damon said dryly, glancing around the group. He had a point, considering they were a group of three Wild Powers, witches, vampires, psychics and even a Shadow Man thrown in for good measure. "And maybe you can tell me why I suddenly feel as if the world would end without you in it?"  
  
Crystal smiled. "Because we're soulmates. Soulmates are supposed to be perfect for each other. And one won't be happy without the other."  
  
"What happens with the DV gang?" Bonnie asked, spotting Kaitlyn and Gabriel coming to join them.   
  
"Well my plan was to get them both to read the Dark Visions books and get Kait and Gabriel back together," Crystal said, seeing them come. "Did it work?"  
  
Kaitlyn smiled. "It did."  
  
"I suppose I ought to thank you," Gabriel said, his words sounding slightly forced.   
  
"Don't mention it," Crystal said with a grin.  
  
"I have a request," Elena said.  
  
"What?" Crystal asked suspiciously.   
  
"Write *me* a nice story where I don't die," Elena said. Crystal felt a little embarrassed, Elena was obviously still peeved from what she'd learned on line.  
  
"Hey, have you written any fics about us?" Mary-Lynnette asked.   
  
Ash opened his mouth, but Crystal cut in before he could speak. "I'm working on one," she confessed. "And no, no one has kicked you so far."  
  
"I also saw you were writing one about me," Meredith said, an eyebrow raised. "Something where I end up with a vampire."  
  
"Hey, what's that one?" Bonnie asked, grinning. "That's gotta be interesting? Meredith with a vamp?"  
  
"It's called Killing Time," Crystal admitted. "I sort of got lost with the plot."  
  
"Well finish it," Meredith practically ordered. "I want to know what happens."  
  
"Do I dare ask what you wrote about me and Julian?" Jenny asked, almost cautiously.  
  
Crystal grinned. "I wrote one called Desires Unveiled where you're facing a psychopathic Shadow Mistress and you have to call Julian back to help you defeat her."  
  
"What happens to me?" Tom asked suspiciously.   
  
Crystal flushed a little. "Um, you die."  
  
"Great," Tom muttered sullenly. "Has anyone ever written any fics where I *don't* die horribly?"  
  
"I sincerely hope not," Julian added.  
  
"Shut up," Jenny said.  
  
Crystal thought a minute. "Yeah, actually. You might want to try Nicole Patterson's fic, Haunted by Shadows. Nothing happens to you in that, except you end up with Dee."  
  
Dee looked surprised. "Really? What happens to me in yours?"  
  
"You help Jenny and Julian kick the Shadow Mistress's ass."  
  
Dee looked pleased. "Sounds fun."  
  
"You got any fics about us?" Kaitlyn asked.  
  
"I dread to think," Gabriel muttered.  
  
"One or two," Crystal said, deciding not to go into the details of the plot on Disturbing Behaviour. She doubted Kaitlyn would be impressed to learn that she had become a vampire. But she and Gabriel had remained together.   
  
"Have you written any ones about me and Damon?" Bonnie asked with a wicked grin.  
  
"No way," Crystal said, moving closer to Damon. "He's mine."  
  
"Learn to share," Bonnie said cheerfully.  
  
Damon looked interested at that. Crystal glared at him. He just shrugged. "Any about me?" he asked.  
  
"Most are in planning stage," Crystal admitted. She noticed Maggie open her mouth, and sighed. "Before all the rest of you start asking what's been written about you I suggest you just go look on the Net. Try Twilight Tales. That's got the best collection of fan fic I've found. Or, maybe lurk on one of the writing lists." She paused, then added, "Or fanfiction.net. You name it, they'll have fics for it."  
  
"But no one will believe it's really us if we say," Morgead pointed out.  
  
"Maybe that would be a good thing," Jez said dryly. "We wouldn't want to be mobbed by hoards of fans."  
  
"Did you write anything about what's going to happen next?" Maggie asked.   
  
"Won't you be sued for copy write?" Meredith put in dryly.   
  
Crystal smiled sheepishly. "I wrote a little paragraph about that where LJ Smith and her publishers and lawyers and co don't get mad at me and don't sue."  
  
"Oh so subtle," Meredith said.  
  
"So what next?" Poppy asked.  
  
Crystal shrugged. "Anything can happen. It's up to you guys. I don't write the future. I just wrote that everyone gets on with life."  
  
Which was exactly what she planned to do. She had always wanted a more interesting life, and it sure looked like she'd gotten one. She had new friends, a new soulmate, it seemed as if life would never be dull again. She'd just go on living it, even it was a little bizarre.  
  
THE END.   
  
  
  



End file.
